Planing-machine.



No. 638,6lo,

H. H. THoRNTuN.

PLANING MACHINE.

{Application filed June 42, 1899.) 41 N o M o d e I Patented Dec. 5,|899.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. THORNTON, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROBERTSvIRON WORKS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PLANlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming pea of Letters Patent Ne. 638,610, aerea neeember5, 1899.

Application filed June 2,1899. Serial No. 719,067. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it Iii/ty concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. THORNTON, of Cambridge, county ofMiddlesex, a'nd State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inPlaning-Machines, of which the following description, in connection withthe accompanying drawings, is a specification, like figures on thedrawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a metal-planing machine; and the object of theinvention is to provide an effective apparatus of this characterprimarily intended for finishing or planing the edge of a plate of metaland involving means for firmly holding the plate upon the bed of themachine while a cutting or planing tool reciprocatory upon the bed isoperating upon the plate.

In metal-planing machines where a heavy 2o plate is sustained upon a bedor other base a series of screws have ordinarily been relied upon toclamp the plate in position, these screws being arranged atpredetermined intervals along the machine and being sepa- 2 5 ratelytightened by hand. The first of those that were tightened would beloosened before the final ones were reached, thereby permitting lateralplay of the plate, and consequently the formation of an uneven or ragged3o edge, which, as is obvious, is decidedly objectionable. By myimprovements, however, the disadvantage pointed out is not possible, forI provide a series of fluid-controlled holding devices operableabsolutely in unison and exerting simultaneously even pressures upon theplate or stock or work at equidistant points along the same near theedge to be planed, and as a means for securing the highest efficiency Iprefer to employ a single 4o source of fluid-supply for actuating all ofthe fluid controlling devices simultaneously. While a series ispreferably used, a large number being generally in the same, it isobvious, of course, that the invention is not so 4`5 limited, for one ofsaid fluid-controlling devices could be employed for clamping a narrowor short plate to the bed of the machine. Any convenient type offluid-controlled instrumentalities may be employed for secur- 5o ing thepeculiar advantage, and each of them includes, preferably, anair-cylinder, the pistons of which constitute work-holders, and I notonly utilize the air-pressure to force the pistons into working orclamping position, y but employ the same for returning the pistons totheir ineeetive or normal positions, the piping connecting the batteryof cylinders bein'g such as to properly control the supply and exhaustfrom them in alternation. For the purpose of securing` the best results,6o therefore, I employ a battery of duid-containing cylinders, and inconnection vtherewith means are provided for separating the battery intodivisions of any suitable numner in each division or set.

Figure' 1 is a front elevation of a planing' machine constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of thesame, taken in the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig.

3 is a longitudinal central section of one of 7o the cylinders. Fig. 4is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a leveremployed for multiplying the effect of a piston.

The framing for supporting the different parts of the apparatus may beof any suitable character, and it involves in its construction a bed ortable 12, upon the flat upper surface of which the plate of sheet metal13 is to be clamped to have its edge planed or 8o finished by a suitabletool, and the bed or platform 12 is suitably joined to the substantiallyduplicate end members 14, constituting a part of the framing, and whichrest upon a iioor or other foundation. The framework has just forward ofthe bed asuitable groove or runway 15, in which the carriage 16 isdisposed, said carriage being suitably supported and being operatedbackward and forward through the agency of the well-known lead- 9o screw17. The carriage is equipped with a post or standard 18, carrying asuitable tool 20, held in firm contact with the edge of the plate bymeans of a set-screw2l on the standard or post 18, said set-screw alsocontrolling the feed longitudinally of the tool toward and from theWork. On the traverse of the carriage 16 with the tool 20, engaging theedge of the work, such edge will be finished to the proper extent.

As hereinbefore set forth, clamping-screws are generally relied upon tohold the plate 13 IOO to the work table or bed 12; but they are notefficacious, sincebeing in large number' one or more of them alwaysloosen to such an eX- tent as to permit objectionable motion of theplaten, which produces, of course, an uneven or ragged edge on saidplate; but my invention includes the provision of a plurality of deviceswhich act absolutely simultaneously and cannot be dislodged from theirworking positions, and in this case the work or plate can have nomovement whatever near the edge to be dressed, and these devices beingHuid-controlled and simultaneously operable can be governed readily by asingle attendant. The separate holding devices each include a cylinder,as 25, and in Fig. l I have represented a series of seven of thesecylinders, the pistons 26 thereof being simultaf neously operative toact against the plate 13 to hold the same firmly in position upon thebed 12, and the said cylinders are sustained in alined apertures 27',formed in the parallel vertical plates 2S, extending entirely along themachine and being secured to the side standards or uprights 14 andv alsoto the topk or cross bar 29', fastened at its opposite ends to saidstandards or uprights, and the lower ends of the parallel plates arelocated a short distance above the upper surface of the bed 12, forapurpose that will hereinafter appear.

.The successive cylinders fit snugly in the registering slots orapertures 27', formed in the longitudinal parallel plates 28, the latterconstituting a simple means for supporting the cylinders in horizontalalinement along the machine. The respective cylinders 25 are suppliedwith iiuid from a suitable source of supply through the horizontalparallel pipes 35, said pipes being provided at -intervals along thesame with branch pipes 36, located one above the other and adapted tosupply fluid, which in the present case is air, at opposite sides of thepiston37 for the purpose of operating said piston, and consequently thepiston-rod 26, and at one-time one of the pipes 35 serves as asupply-pipe, while'the other one serves as an exhaust-pipe,` and atanother time these functions are reversed.

In Fig. 3 the piston 37 is represented as occupying its normal orupperposition, and for the purpose of forcing the piston-rod 26downward, whereby it can act against the plate or stock 13, air will beadmitted through the upper pipe 35 and from thence through the branch 36intol the upper part of the cylinder 25, thereby forcing the pistonl 37downward,

and any air that may be in the cylinder 25 below the piston will beexhausted through the lower branch pipe 36 and the lower main pipe 35.To elevate the piston 37 for releasing the plate 13, this operation willbe of course reversed, the lower pipe 35 acting as the supply one, whilethe air is exhausted through the upperpipe.

The upper pipe 35 is provided with handvalves 40 and 41, while the lowerpipe is equipped with similar valves 42 and 43, and

these several valves may be of anysuitable kind capable of controllingthe supply and exhaust of the fluid. The valves 40 and 42 are locatedone above the'other at one end of the battery of cylinders, while thevalves 41 and 43 are similarly disposed at the opposite end of thebattery, and it will be assumed that it is desired to depress thepistons 37 for the purpose of throwing the piston-rods 26 into clampingposition. In this case the valves 42 and 4l will be closed and thevalves 40 and 43 will be opened, and the air or other fluid will passthrough the upper pipe 35, which connects with all of the cylinders andwill simultaneously force all of the pistons 37 dowm ward, any air thatmay be in the cylinders being exhausted through the lower pipe 35, theleft-hand or what is for the time being the exhaust controlling-valve 43being open.

I have represented a battery of seven cylinders and have described thesame as being simultaneously operative; but at times it is not necessaryto use all of them, and in this case IV provide each pipe between thevalves 40 and 41 and 42 and 43 with valves, as 44 and 45, respectively,which are located between the fourth and fifth cylinders in the series,thereby forming two divisions, four cylinders being in one set and threein the other.

the valves 40, 45, and 43 opened, whereby the incoming air can depressthe pistons 37, the air being exhausted, of course, through the lowerpipe 35. To reverse this operation or to elevate the four pistons 37 inunison, the valves 40 and 45 will be closed and the valves 42, 44, and41 opened, thereby admitting air through the right-hand end pipe 45 intothe proper cylinders below the pistons for elevatin g the latter, theexhaust being then through the upper pipe 35 to the left of theright-hand valve 40.

A pressure-gage, as 50, of some suitable type is connected with thepiping and serves its usual function.

The piston-rods 26 constitute in effect plungers or holding devices andare located at relatively close intervals, so as to firmly secure theplate for operation by the planing mechanism, and while they may actdirectly against said plate I prefer to interpcse between said partspower-multiplying mechanism of suitable character, thereby securing thehighest degree of efficiency, and a type of such power multiplyinginstrumentalities will be hereinafter described.

The upper heads of the cylinders are closed, while the lower headsthereof (designated by 5l) are in the form of stuffing-boxes in threadedengagement with the cylinders.

It will be remembered that the plates 28 constitute a support for thebattery of cylinders To use the first four cylinders of the series, thevalves 42 and 44 will be closed and IOO IIO

25, and said plates serve asecond office, they r such as a lever 53.

machine and secured to the end standards or uprights 14.

, In connection with each piston rod or plunger 26 I provide apower-multiplying device,

These levers have journal portions or trunnions 54, adapted to iit insemicircular seats or bearings 55, formed transversely in alinement inpairs along the under side of the plates 28, and the free ends of thelevers are disposed under the lower ends of the piston-rods or plungers26 and are adapted to be engaged thereby, and said levers have upon theunder sides thereof the offsets o r lugs 56, adapted to fit against theupper surface of the plate or other object to be held, and thedisposition of the journal portions 54 relative to the tails or freeends of the levers 53 is such that when said free ends are engaged avery powerful force will be applied through the offsets 56 to the plate,and I iind these levers very eective in practice, although it is obviousthat they may be dispensed with, in which case the piston-rods wouldbear directly against the object to be clamped.

The cylinders are provided with draw-off pipes 60, each governed by avalve or cock, and by opening which any water that may be containedwithin the cylinder, due to the humidity of the air, can pass o throughsaid discharge-pipes, said pipes being located one above the other andpassing through the wall of the cylinder. The upper pipe, which isengaged by the piston 37 when the same reaches the limit of its upperstroke, is serrated, as at 6l, thereby preventing the complete stoppageof said pipe by the piston.

The pistons of course are provided with packings or glands to insuretight fits within the several cylinders, as usual in this kind ofdevices.

The invention is not limited to the precise details nor to the relativearrangement of parts hereinbefore set forth, for these can be variouslychanged within the scope of the appended claims.

While I prefer to employ fluid-controlling means, it is evident that myapparatus is not limited to the use of any particular source of energy,and it will be understood that the said apparatus includes, broadly, abed, a series of clamping devices having a plate supported on said bed,and means controlled from a single source of energy for actuating saidclamping devices in unison.

It Will be obvious from the preceding description that while the severalplungers or clamping devices are simultaneously lowered they are alsoelevated in unison, which is advantageous, for they are carried to apoint out of the path of a plate to be introduced between their lowerends and the bed ofthe machine, by reason of which the plate cannotstrike any of said clamping devices to bend or otherwise injure thesame, as is frequently the case with the old type of clamping mechanism,Where frequently one or more of the screws are left projecting in thepath of the plates. It will be understood also that the peculiarclamping devices are not limited in this application to aplaning-machine, this title being adopted as a generic one to coverdifferent types of apparatus wherein Work can be clamped to a base orbed for operation.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Pat; ent, is-

l. In a planing-machine, a bed, a series of cylinders each having apistou, two pipes connected to each cylinder above and below the pistonsand constituting alternately supply and exhaust pipes,- and each pipehaving -valves at its ends, clam ping devices connected to therespective cylinders and .movable in unison either forward or backwardby the pressure of a fluid acting against the same, and valves carriedby each pipe and adapted to separate the cylinders into two divisionswhereby one division may be operated without operating the otherdivision.

2. In a planing-machine, a bed, a cylinder having a piston, a rodconnected to said piston and constituting a clamping device, a framingfor supporting said cylinder, a lever in position to bear against theframing and also against the work supported upon said bed, and the freeend of the lever being located for operation by the rod, and means forsupplying fluid to the cylinder for operating the piston therein and foralso controlling the exhaust.

3. In a planing-machine, a bed, a cylinder having a piston, a rodconnected to said piston and constituting a clamping device, a leverprovided with a journal iitted in a seat in the framework and having anoffset adapted to engage a plate on the bed, and one end of said leverbeing located to be engaged by the rod, and fluid supply and exhaustcontrolling means for said cylinder.

4. In a planing-machine, a pair of plates having registering openings, acylinderfitted in said openings and containing a piston, a rod connectedto the piston and constituting a clamping device, a lever provided withjournals adapted to fit in seats or bearings formed in the plates, andsaid lever being adapted to bear against a plate or work upon the bedand to be engaged and operated by said rod.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY H. THORNTON.

Witnesses:

HEATH SUTHERLAND,

FREDERICK L. EMERY.

IOO

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